@China Beached - Just want to correct something you wrote. The CEP's in CX did not get the HKPA due to the RDO coming into effect. The RDO basically states "same job - same pay" which means that all CEP's should essentially be paid the current DEP package, or alternatively the DEP's paid the CEP package! The grandfathering took care of that debacle but then CX found itself in a position where they couldn't hire anyone on DEP terms and the old CEP contract was not attracting anyone! So they needed to improve the terms. Add education - no effect. Add HKPA - no effect. They are scratching for the lowest, lowest bar possible. I'm haven't had the stomach to sit and work out what it would cost the company to just capitulate and say, "CEP terms for first 5 years, then DEP for everyone" (or something similar) but I would hazard a guess that whilst costing more on the surface, in the long run they would save. One day I'll work it out. Bottom line, any changes to the CEP package from the "old" one are simply because they cannot attract anyone with the old terms. Anyone accepting the current terms in my book is seriously compromising their professional/financial future! CX calls itself a "Career airline" - in the past I believe that was true. Now I believe that it's only true because once you are in, by the time you've accrued enough hours to leave or paid back all your debt, you'll have wasted 10 years and no one else will have you or you won't be able to take going to the bottom of another carriers seniority list.
@SAABGUY - 12-24 months? Not sure. Depends how many turkeys take the current package. The wheels turn veeeery slowly with CX and they are interested not in employee welfare, but in bottom line economics. The old adage of "pay peanuts, get monkeys" is ringing loudly at the moment. Of course, some people see it as having no choice if they want to fly. But it's a path fraught with serious challenges. Many of which will not become apparent until the PNR has passed and they have you by the short and curlies.